6th Chapter | Action [Closed]

[the_heroine]

[Narrative]

[Maybe he had taken the long route on purpose, and getting lost was an excuse for him not to go. Mikoshiba isn't that self-aware, and he's mostly trying not to go hide at the laundromat or some random corner like he's tempted to do. He remembers the sudden lack of emotions Kashima displayed, and how the whole thing was Pretty Much His Fault. The awkward silences and tears after weren't worth the ego boost he had attempted getting by trying to take on too much at once. If he's serious about protecting his friends, then the lessons are necessary. Besides, every video game protagonist starts off as a level 1.]

[He tells himself that, and he's so engrossed with his own thoughts while trying to pay attention to street signs and ignore the overload of adrenaline, that he doesn't realize he passes by the shrine, and doesn't notice Yui, his own eyes locked onto the ground.]

[/Narrative]




[Action]

[He's tired and sweating, and he'll probably hurt tomorrow. Other than the fact that he's blushing (which could as easily be due to his embarrassment as physical exertion), it's hard to tell he even did anything remotely athletic at all. His hair remains perfect, and the sweat...just isn't that visible at the moment. But he feels it and tells himself it's worth it. He steps outside of the training center and takes a sip from the bottle of water he bought when he notices.]

[There's a sense of wrongness, of not being alone. He's experienced this feeling countless times before, and whenever he has there would be a new published chapter from Nozaki's manga with an embarrassing situation that strangely mirrored his own. Figuring it was just a very unlikely, repetitive coincidence, he'd just shrug it off. But this is different. He doesn't want any of his friends to know, and not just because of insecurities, but because he wants to impress them later. Or something. He freezes, like a shy, innocent forest deer, his eyes bugging out as he frantically glances around for the source of his paranoia.]

Nozaki? Are you being weird again?